Ministry of the Spirit

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate our understanding of the fulfillment of salvation and how our experience resonates with Church traditions.

Spiritual resonance

The text from 2 Corinthians offers Paul’s contrast of Life in the Spirit with the Hebrew Covenant.

* [3:6] This verse serves as a topic sentence for 2 Cor 3:7–6:10. For the contrast between letter and spirit, cf. Rom 2:29; 7:5–6.1

Psalm 99 declares Israel is special because of God’s word of justice, which was mediated by the revered speakers, Moses, Aaron, and Samuel.

* [Psalm 99] A hymn to God as the king whose grandeur is most clearly seen on Mount Zion (Ps 99:2) and in the laws given to Israel (Ps 99:4). Israel is special because of God’s word of justice, which was mediated by the revered speakers, Moses, Aaron, and Samuel (Ps 99:6–8). The poem is structured by the threefold statement that God is holy (Ps 99:3, 5, 9) and by the twice-repeated command to praise (Ps 99:5, 9).2 

The portion of the Sermon on the Mount from the Gospel of Matthew begins Jesus teaching about fulfillment of the Law.

* [5:17–20] This statement of Jesus’ position concerning the Mosaic law is composed of traditional material from Matthew’s sermon documentation (see note on Mt 5:1–7:29), other Q material (cf. Mt 18; Lk 16:17), and the evangelist’s own editorial touches. To fulfill the law appears at first to mean a literal enforcement of the law in the least detail: until heaven and earth pass away nothing of the law will pass (Mt 5:18). Yet the “passing away” of heaven and earth is not necessarily the end of the world understood, as in much apocalyptic literature, as the dissolution of the existing universe. The “turning of the ages” comes with the apocalyptic event of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and those to whom this gospel is addressed are living in the new and final age, prophesied by Isaiah as the time of “new heavens and a new earth” (Is 65:17; 66:22). Meanwhile, during Jesus’ ministry when the kingdom is already breaking in, his mission remains within the framework of the law, though with significant anticipation of the age to come, as the following antitheses (Mt 5:21–48) show.3 

Cindy Murphy McMahon comments that a dilemma has been introduced, and hopefully will be explained for all those who may be perplexed having this first reading and this Gospel read together at Masses all over the world today. She shares some insights.

One is that the emphasis here is on fulfillment so as not to negate the sacrifices Hebrew men, women and children had made on behalf of the law throughout the centuries. Jesus wanted to emphasize that by fulfilling and completing the law, he was not nullifying or destroying the law and the good that had come from it.
Another way to look at it is that the ceremonies, sacrifices, restrictions and other features of the Old Covenant were “only a shadow of the good things that are coming – not the realities themselves,” as Paul says in Hebrews.
Or, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, people are invited to rediscover the law in the person of Jesus, who is it's perfect fulfillment. In other words, Jesus personifies the meaning behind the law.4 

Don Schwager quotes “What you teach, you should do,” by Chromatius (died 406 AD).

"While it is sinful to abolish the least of the commandments, all the more so the great and most important ones. Hence the Holy Spirit affirms through Solomon: 'Whoever despises the little things shall gradually die' (Sirach 19:1b). Consequently nothing in the divine commandments must be abolished, nothing altered. Everything must be preserved and taught faithfully and devotedly that the glory of the heavenly kingdom may not be lost. Indeed, those things considered least important and small by the unfaithful or by worldly people are not small before God but necessary. For the Lord taught the commandments and did them. Even small things point to the great future of the kingdom of heaven. For this reason, not only words but also deeds are important; and you should not only teach, but what you teach, you should do." (excerpt from TRACTATE ON MATTHEW 20.2.1–3)
[Note: Chromatius was an early Christian scholar and bishop of Aquileia, Italy. He was a close friend of John Chrysostom and Jerome. He died in 406 AD. Jerome described him as a "most learned and most holy man."]5 

The Word Among Us Meditation on 2 Corinthians 3:4-11 shares it’s exciting to think that God’s plan for us just gets better and better as we grow closer to him and come closer to our eternal destiny.

Thinking about our future glory is not meant to make us discontent with the present. Like the little girl with the animal cracker, we can be grateful for the blessings of “now.” The Holy Spirit is giving us help to know how to pray, how to turn back to God when we feel weak, and how to be thankful. The Eucharist is helping us to overcome temptation and is making us into one body in Christ.6 

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the comparison of Paul on the Law on stone and the Law written on our hearts. The proto-sacraments in salvation history of Israel are cited. Friar Jude comments on the converted Pharisee writing the Gospel of Matthew and the demographics of the Church evangelized by Paul.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces the work of Clarissa Pinkola Estés who has spent many years gathering and sharing stories of the Divine Feminine across cultures and religions. In her book Untie the Strong Woman she helps us connect with the Holy Mother’s comfort, guidance, and vision.

In blessed Mother’s view, all are lovable; all souls are accepted, all carry a sweetness of heart, are beautiful to the eyes; worthy of consciousness, of being inspired, being helped, being comforted and protected—even if other mere humans believe foolishly or blindly to the contrary.
If, following the pathways laid down in the stories of the “old believers,” if after the old God . . . who seemed to spend inordinate time creating and destroying, thence came to us in huge contrast, the God of Love—then Our Blessed Mother is the ultimate Mother Who Gave Birth to Love.7 

The span of the spiritual guidance of the Spirit in salvation history includes the face of Moses and the experience of the invitation of the Blessed Mother to live in the Spirit of Her Son.

References

1	(n.d.). 2 Corinthians, chapter 3 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved June 12, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/2corinthians/3
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 99 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved June 12, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/99
3	(n.d.). Matthew, chapter 5 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved June 12, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved June 12, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 12, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
6	(2019, June 12). Mass Readings and Catholic .... Retrieved June 12, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/06/12/
7	(2019, June 12). Our Blessed Mother — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved June 12, 2019, from https://cac.org/our-blessed-mother-2019-06-12/